Archive for January, 2012

The ABC is relocating its Queensland headquarters to a purpose-built broadcasting facility on the corner of Grey Street and Russell Street, South Brisbane, situated between the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) and Griffith University’s Queensland Conservatorium of Music. This move is known as the Brisbane Accommodation Project.

The ABC evacuated its Toowong site in December 2006 over concern about staff health and safety following the identification of a cancer cluster.

The Queensland Government worked closely with the ABC throughout the site selection process, and in December 2008 ABC Managing Director Mark Scott announced that the new location had been confirmed at South Bank.

On October 30, 2009, the Queensland Premier, Anna Bligh MP, and the Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Anthony Albanese MP, announced joint State and Federal Government funding for the collocation of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra (QSO) with the ABC in its new building at South Bank.

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Recommendation 1

3.50 The committee recommends that the ABC ensure that it maintains an effective capacity to internally produce quality programming across the regions in addition to news, sport and current affairs. The committee notes that the increasing use of external producers has the capacity to diminish the ABC’s independence and skill base.

3.51 The committee calls on the ABC and the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy to identify and implement processes which ensure value for money, transparency and skill retention. In the context of the need to maintain the ABC’s skills base, the committee calls on ABC management to immediately reassess the implications of any employment decision on its capacity to deliver quality programming across the network.

Recommendation 2

3.69 The committee recommends that ABC management sets out in detail where it sees its future as a broadcaster and a content producer, and particularly with reference to the ABC Charter responsibilities of balancing programs of wide appeal and specialist interest as well as how ABC programming reflects the cultural and regional diversity of the Australian community.

Recommendation 3

3.74 The committee recommends that ABC management release a draft television production strategy for staff, community and private sector consultation, prior to its finalisation.

Recommendation 4

3.75 The committee recommends that the ABC consult with stakeholders prior to making significant changes to either internal creative and production structures or state-based activities.

Recommendation 5

3.76 The committee draws the attention of ABC management to the ABC Charter obligations to ‘encourage and promote arts, including musical, dramatic and other performing arts’ and calls on ABC management to urgently publish a strategy outlining how it can meet this obligation given the planned disbanding of the ABC arts unit.

Recommendation 6

3.87 The committee recommends that wherever appropriate the ABC include free archival use clauses in all future co-production contracts.

Recommendation 7

3.99 The committee recommends that the ABC publish annual targets of regional content on ABC television against which it reports in order to meet its Charter obligation to ‘reflect the cultural diversity of the Australian community’ and to promote ongoing internal program production in the BAPH states and regional Australia.

Recommendation 8

3.132 The committee recommends that the ABC actively manage its production facility infrastructure, particularly in the BAPH states, so that it is utilised as effectively as possible.

Recommendation 9

3.133 The committee recommends that the government take into account the findings of the Convergence Review about the structure of the media market and investment in Australian content by all broadcasters when considering the ABC’s funding needs in the forthcoming triennial funding round.

Recommendation 10

3.148 The committee recommends that as part of the triennial funding round, the government consider the ABC’s capacity to maintain a critical mass of staff, skills, infrastructure and production in regional areas.